steering Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme 1995 s User Guide

Suppose you’re steering through a sharp curve. Then
you suddenly accelerate. Both control systems
--
steering and acceleration -- have to do their work where
the tires meet the road. Adding the sudden acceleration
can demand too much of those places. You can lose
control.
What should you do if’this ever happens? Ease up on the
accelerator pedal, steer the vehicle the way you want it
to go, and slow down.
Steering in Emergencies
There are times when steering can be more effective
than braking. For example, you come over a hill and
find a truck stopped in your lane, or a car suddenly pulls
out from nowhere, or a child darts out
from between
parked cars and stops right in front of,you. You can
avoid these problems by braking
-- if’you can stop in
time. But sometimes you can’t; there isn’t room. That’s
the time for evasive action
-- steering around the
Speed limit signs near curves warn that you should problem.
adjust your speed. Of course, the posted speeds are
Your Oldsmobile can perform very well in emergencies
based on good weather and road conditions. Under less like these. First apply your brakes. It is better to remove
favorable conditions you’ll want to go slower.
as much speed as you can from a possible collision.
If you need to reduce your speed as’you approach a Then steer around the problem, to the left or right’
curve, do it before you enter the curve, while your front depending
on the, space available.
wheels are straight ahead.
Try to .adjust your speed so you can “drive” through the
cye. Maintain a reasonabie, steady speed. Wait
to
accelerate until you are out of the curve, and then
accelerate gently into the straightaway.
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An emergency like this requires close attention and a '
quick decision. If you are holding the steering wheel at
the recommended
9 and 3 o'clock positions, you .can
turn it a
full 180 degrees very quickly without removing
either hand. But you have to act fast, steer quickly, and
just
as quickly straighten the wheel once you have
avoided the object.
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The fact. that such emergency situations are always
possible is a good reason
to practice defensive driving at
all times
and wear safety belts properly.
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Check your mirrors, glance over your shoklder, and
start your left lane change signal before moving out
of the right lane to pass. When you are far’enough
ahead of the passed vehicle to see its front in your
inside mirror, activate your right$ lane ,change signal
and move back into the right lane. (Remember that
your right outside mirror
is convex. The vehicle you
just passed may seem to be,farther away from
you
than it really is.)
Try not to pass more than one vehicle at a tihe on
two-lane roads. Reconsider before passing the next
vehicle.
Don’t overtake a slowly moving vehicle too rapidly.
Even though the brake lights are not flashing, it.may
be slowing down or starting tu turn.
If you’re being passed, make it easy for the
following driver to get ahead of you. Perhaps you
cmease a,little to the right.
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Loss of Control
Let’s review what driving experts say about what ’
happens when the three control systems (brakes, steering
and acceleration) don’t have enough friction where the
tires meet .the road
to do what ‘the driver has asked.
In any emergency, don’t give up. Keep trying to steer and constantly seek an es-c-gpe route or area
.~f less
danger.
Skidding
In a skid, a driver can lose control of the vehicle.
Defensive drivers avoid most skids by taking reasonable
care suited to existing conditions, and by not
“overdriving” those conditions. But skids are always
possibk.
The three types of skids correspondjo your
Oldsmobile’s three control systems. In the braking skid
your wheels aren’t rolling.
In the steering or cornering
skid, too much speed or steering in
a curve causes tires
to slip and lose cornering force. And in the acceleration
skid too much throttle causes the driving wheels to,spin.
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A cornering skid and an acceleration skid are best
handled by easing your foot
off the acce1,erator pedal.
If your. vehicle starts to slide, ease your foot off the ’’
accelerator pedal and’ quickly steer the way you want the
vehicle to go. If you start steering quickly enough,.your
vehicle may straighten out. Always be ready for a
second skid if
it occurs.
Of course, traction is reduced vvhen water, snow, ice,
gravel,
or other material is on the road. For safety, you’ll
want to slow down and adjust your driving to these
conditions. It is important to slow down on slippery
surfaces because stopping distance will ,be longer and
vehicle‘ control more limited.
While driving-on
a surface with reduced traction, try .
your best to avoid sudden steering, acceleration, or
braking (including engine braking by shifting to a lower
gear). Any sudden changes could cause the tires to slide.
You may
pot realize the surface is slippery until your
vehicle is skidding. Learn to recognize warning clues
--
such as enough water, ice or packed snow on the road to
make a “mirrored surface” -- and slow down when you
have any doubt.
Remember: Any anti-lock brake system
(ABS) helps
avoid,only the braking skid.
Driving at Night
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Night driving is rnore’dangerous than day driying. One
reason is that some drivers are likely to be impaired-
--
by alcohol or drugs, with night vision problems, or by .
fatigue.
Here are some tips on night driving.
0 Drive defensively. -
’ Don’t drink and drive.
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Driving on Snow or Ice
Most of the time, those places where your tires meet the
road probably have good traction. least traction
of all.
You can get “wet ice” when it’s
about freezing
(32°F; OOC) and freezing rain begins to
fall. Try to avoid driving on wet ice until salt and sand
crews can get there.
road.
Watch for slippery spots. The road might be fine
until you
hit a spot that’s covered with ice. On an
otherwise clear road, ice patches may appear in
shaded areas where the sun can’t reach: around
clumps of trees, behind buildings, or urider bridges.
Sometimes the surface of a curve or an averpass may
remain icy when the. surrounding roads
are clear. If
too. fast, the drive wheels will spin and polish the surface
under the tires even more.
‘Your anti-lokk brakes improve your ability to make a
hard stop
on a slippery road. Even though you have the
anti-lock braking system, you’ll want to begin stopping
sooner than you would on dry pavement. See
“Anti-Lock”
in the Index.
Allow greater following distance on any slippery
What’s the worst time for this? “Wet ice.”
V&y cold
snow or ice can be slick and hard to drive on. But wet
ice can be even more, trouble because
it may offer the you
see a-patch of ice ahead of you, brake before you
are on it. Try not
to brake while you’re actually on
the ice, and avoid‘sudden steering maneuvers.
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Driving with a Trailer Following Distance
Towing a trailer requires a certain amount
of experience. Stay at least twice as far behind the vehicle .ahead as- you - .
Before setting out for the open road, you'll want to get would when driving your veh\
icle without a trailer. This$,
to know your rig. AcquQint yourself with the feel of can help you avoid situations that require heavy br-it
and sudden turns.
handling and braking with the added weight of the
trailer. And always keep in mind that ,the vehicle you are
driving is now a good deal longer
and not nearly as . Passing
responsive as your vehicle is by itself. You'll need more passing distance up ahead when
Before you start, check the.trailer hitch and platform you're' towing a trailer. And, because you're a good deal
(and attachments), safety chains, electrical connector, longer, \
you'll need to go much farther beyond the
lights, tires and mirror adjustment.
If the trailer has passed vehicle before you can return to your \
lane.
electric brakes, start your vehicle and trailer moving and
the brakes are working. This lets you check ,your Hold the bottom
of the steering wheel with one hand.
electrical connection at the same time. Then, to move the trailer
to the left, just move that hand
During your
trip, check occasionally to' be sure that the to the left.
To move the trailer to the right, move your
load is secure, and that the lights and any trailer brakes hand to the right. Always back up slowly and, if
are still working. possible. have someone guide you.
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then apply the trailer brake controller by hand to be sure Backing Up
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When your vehicle is being towed, have the ignition
key
off. The steering wheel should be clamped in a
straight-ahead position, with a clamping device
designed for towing service.
DQ not use the vehicle’s
steering column lock for this. The transaxle should be’in
NEUTRAL (N) and the parking brake released.
Don’,t have your vehicle towed on the front wheels,
unless you must.. If the vehicle ‘must be towed
on the
front wheels, don’t go more
than 35 mph (56 km/h) or
farther than
50 miles (80 km) or your transaxle wilLbe
damaged. If these limits must be exceeded, then the
front wheels have
to be supported on a dolly.

10. Then replace the
’ pressure cap. At any
time during this
procedure if coolant
begins to flow out of
the filler neck, reinstall
the pressure cap. Be
sure the arrows on the
pressure cap line up
like this.
11. Check the coolant in the recovery tank. The level in
the coolant recovery tank should be at the HOT
mark when the engine
is hot or at the COLD mark
when the engine
is cold.
If a Tire Goes Flat
It’s unusual for a tire to “blow out” while you’re \
driving,
especially
if you maintain your tires properly. If air goes
out
of a tire, it’s much more likely to leak out slowly.
But if you should ever have a “blowout,” here are a few
tips about what to expect and what to do:
If a front tire fails, the flat tire will create a drag that
pulls the vehicle toward that side. Take your foot
off the
accelerator pedal and grip the steering wheel firmly.,
Steer to maintain lane position, then gently brake to a
stop well out of the traffic lane.
A rear blowout, particularly on a curve, acts much like a
skid and may require the same correction you’d use in a
skid. In any rear blowout, remove your foot from the
accelerator pedal. Get the vehicle under control by
steering the way you want the vehicle to go.
It may be
very bumpy and noisy, but you can still steer. Gently
brake to a stop, well
off the road if possible.
If a tire goes flat, the next part shows how to
use your
jacking equipment to change a flat tire safely.

If You’re Stuck: In .Sand, Mud, Ice or
Snow
What you doh’t want to do when your vehicle is ,stuck is
to spin your wheels too fast. The method known as
%vocking” can help you get out when you’re stuck, but
you must use caution.
NOTICE: ,.
Spinning your:wheels can destroy parts of your
vehicle as well as the tires. If you spin the wheels
too fast while shifting your transaxle back and
forth, you can destroy your transaxle.
For information >about using tire chains on your vehicle,
see “Tire Chains” in the Index.
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Rocking your vehicle to get it out:
First, turn your steering wheel left and right. That will
clear the area around your front wheels. Then shift back
and forth between REVERSE (R) and
a forward gear,
spinning the -wheels as little as possible. Release the
accelerator pedal while you shift, and press lightly
on
the accelerator pedal when the transaxle is in gear. If
that doesn’t get you out after a few tries, you may need
to be towed out.
If you do need to be towed out, see
“Towing Your Vehicle” in the Index.

With the 3.4L LQ1 (Code X) engine, when you open the hood, you’ll see:
1. Radiator Pressure Cap
2. Engine Coolant Reservoir
3. Power Steering Fluid Reservoir
4. Electric Engine Fans
5. Engine Oil Dipstick
6. Engine Oil Fill Cap
7. Coolant Bleed Valves
8. Automatic Transaxle Fluid Dipstick
9. Brake Fluid Reservoir
10. Air Cleaner
11. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir
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